The George Mason University men's basketball team staged one of its patented comebacks in an exciting 70-67 win over William and Mary last Saturday. It was the fourth time this season the Patriots erased a double digit second half deficit to win the game. The crowd of 7,983 was the fourth largest in Patriot Center history.

The victory raised the Patriots record to 9-8 overall, 3-5 in the Colonial Athletic Association. William and Mary fell to 6-10 overall, 3-4 in the CAA.

Trailing, 66-56, with 3:02 to play, George Mason went on a 12-0 run to take a 68-66 lead on a pair of senior forward George Redd free throws with 23.8 seconds to play. Senior guards Nate Langley and Contrell Scott combined for nine points in the decisive run. An effective full court Patriot press caused five turnovers in the final 2:38.

Langley scored 14 of his game high 21 points in the last 7:25, hitting from the oustide and posting his man down low. He tied his career high with nine rebounds.

"We made some terrific clutch plays and Langley had some great clutch moves," George Mason head coach Paul Westhead said. "Nate plays the one, two and three positions, why not the post? It's a key for us when we get him inside.

"We seemed a little more fresh than them late in the game," he added. "Our substitution pattern helped us."

William and Mary head coach Charlie Woollum said his team ran out of depth.

"We lost our poise, our players and the basketball," he said. "We had our chances to win it."

Starting guard Randy Bracy was limited to 13 minutes after reinjuring his knee in the first half while starters David Grabuloff and Terence Jennings fouled out late in the game.

Scott scored 16 points, passed for a game high seven assists and recorded a game high five steals in another solid effort at the point.

William and Mary senior forward Bobby Fitzgibbons scored a team high 20 points, including 16 in the first half when he hit four 3-pointers, but was held to only four points in the final 20 minutes. Grabuloff added 13 points and Jennings had 12.

The Patriots, the CAA's best free throw shooting team, made nine of 10 free throws in the final 3:04.

George Mason plays at Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday before hosting East Carolina Saturday night.

For tickets call (703) 993-3270.

Men's Basketball Contact: Jim Engelhardt (993-3269)